Fixed-station water-quality monitoring at Cumberland Island National Seashore: 2013–2014 data summary

Wright, Wendy

doi:10.36967/2246110

n 2005 the National Park Service (NPS) Southeast Coast Network (SECN) Inventory and Monitoring Program began collecting water-quality data in the estuarine waters near Cumberland Island National Seashore (CUIS) as part of the NPS Vital Signs monitoring program. The continuous-monitoring data station is located on the Sea Camp dock. This station collects pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, conductivity, turbidity, and water level data every 15 minutes. Southeast Coast Network staff make additional water-quality measurements, which include monthly measurements of water-clarity conditions, nutrient concentrations, and chlorophyll a levels. Network staff follow methods that were adapted from the water-quality monitoring program established by the National Estuarine Research Reserve Program (Wenner and Geist 2001). Data and results are compared to EPA criteria (EPA 2012) which rate conditions as good, fair, or poor. The Cumberland Island National Seashore fixed-station water-quality monitoring site is part of the SECN estuarine water- and sediment-quality monitoring effort, which routinely collects data in the vicinity of seven coastal park units located along the southeastern U.S. coast (DeVivo et al. 2008, Gregory et al. 2013). Information collected by this monitoring program will be used to help managers make better-informed decisions by understanding trends and variability related to water-quality conditions in park waters. Summary data are presented in annual data reports published by the Southeast Coast Network. Monthly water-quality data collected during 2013–2014 at the SECN site near Cumberland Island National Seashore reflected good to fair conditions throughout the two-year period. Chlorophyll a concentrations were fair (12 visits) to good (12 visits) for the period of record, ranging from 2.98 µg/L to 9.19 µ/L. Water clarity was mostly good (17 visits) to fair (6 visits) for the period of record. Over the period of record, seven samples were pulled for dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP). Six of the seven DIN concentrations were rated as good, with one fair. Three of the DIP concentrations were good, and four were fair. Mean monthly dissolved oxygen levels were fair to good throughout the period, ranging from 4.4 mg/L to 8.5 mg/L. Individual values ranged from 2.0 mg/L in May 2013 to 9.4 mg/L in January 2014. Mean monthly pH values ranged from 7.4 to 8.3. Individual readings ranged from 7.1 in September 2014 to 8.5 in January and February 2013. Monthly mean turbidity values were highest during February 2013 at 10.9 NTUs. The lowest individual turbidity reading for any given month was 0.0 NTUs, and a maximum reading of 627.9 NTUs was recorded in January 2013. Water temperatures in 2013–2014 ranged from a minimum monthly mean of 11.5°C (52.7°F) in January 2014 to a maximum monthly mean of 29.6°C (85.3°F) in August 2014. Individual temperatures ranged from a minimum of 7.4°C (45.3°F) in January 2013 to a maximum of 31.9°C (89.4°F) in July 2014. The tidal range at the Sea Camp dock at Cumberland Island National Seashore is 3.7 meters (12.1 feet).

Fixed-station water-quality monitoring at Cumberland Island National Seashore: 2013–2014 data summary

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